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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bill sign for the police in this segment?

2. What does Burroughs present in Appendix 2?

3. Who does Bill hire in this segment?

4. What is Bill free to do while he waits to go to court?

5. Of what does Bill complain that his apartment smells?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Bill's wife's main complaint about his habit?

2. What information does Gains bring about Bill's old acquaintances?

3. Of what does this final section of the novel consist?

4. How does Old Ike help Bill in this segment?

5. How does Rollins help Bill make a recovery from drugs and alcohol?

6. What does Bill do after he is released from prison?

7. Why does Bill decide to flee to Mexico?

8. Describe Bill's time with the young drug users.

9. In what way do the police treat Bill badly?

10. What does Bill say happens to time when using morphine?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, Burroughs has many homosexual encounters.

1) How was homosexuality viewed in the 1930's?

2) How does Burroughs' sexual orientation affect his life? Does it have any bearing on his drug addiction?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiography formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can novelists express that an autobiographer cannot? How can autobiographies keep to the facts while still maintaining a level of entertainment?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the novel's dialogue. How does Burroughs' dialogue contribute to the following areas:

1) Character

2) Setting

3) Plot

(see the answer keys)

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